First Bloody Red Shrimp Record for Suttons Bay

The first sighting of a bloody red shrimp, Hemimysis anomala, was made today in a sample from an experimental plankton pump, set up to run overnight at the ISEA Schooner Dock in Suttons Bay.  This animal is an invasive species from the Black - Azov - Caspian Sea area of Eurasia.  It likely got to the Great Lakes in the ballast water of ships.  For more on Hemimysis ecology, look at the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species web site.

The plankton pump was in its first overnight test, starting on Friday afternoon, April 5, 2013.  The pump was at 0.84 meters depth on a rocky substrate. Unfortunately the battery did not have enough capacity to run the pump for 24 hours, so the next test will incorporate an inverter or battery charger to keep the battery voltage the same throughout the pumping period.  Despite the failure of this first test to give a quantitative result, we did find what we were looking for, the bloody red shrimp.  This zooplankton has been previously found in Muskegon Lake and Elk Rapids. 

After the plankton pump sampler is perfected we intend to sample a number of harbors in NW Michigan, and we will add this to the sampling gear of the Schoolship Inland Seas to sample ports visited this summer.

Hemimysis collected from Suttons Bay, April 5 - 6, 2013

Hemimysis tail section showing telson

Hemimysis showing characteristic twin spikes on the squared-off telson

More results will be posted on this blog as they become available.

-Thomas M. Kelly - ISEA Executive Director
-Graham P. Kelly - ISEA Student Intern

SB Student Intern Graham Kelly Launches Zooplankton Pump Sampler

ISEA's high school intern Graham Kelly initiated the first test of his zooplankton pump sampler at the ISEA schooner dock today.  The sampler consists of a submersible Rule bilge pump, hose, 153 micron plankton net, and car battery.  This first test will run overnight to determine the effectiveness of this method on night-active zooplankton (knowing that the numbers and species diversity is limited at this time of year).   Graham and his dad will return to the dock tomorrow to collect the sample. 

An earlier test showed that copepods can pass through the device intact. 

Graham with zooplankton pump sampler

Checking flow into net

Car battery, graduated cylinder (used to measure flow rate), volt meter

Pump, hose and net.  Battery is now covered by plastic box. 

We'll publish results as available. 

--Co-Investigator & Dad,   Tom K. 

Lakeshore HS Research Cruise - Sept. 22, 2010

A wonderful group of Lakeshore HS students (Stevensville, MI) sailed with us Wednesday on an all-day research cruise to Suttons Bay and Omena Bay. Water, zooplankton and fish samples were collected in each location and the data will be analyzed when the students return to class.  Thanks for the great day on the Schoolship.  -Capt. Tom

Looking for Zooplankton



Hauling up the anchor, Omena Bay



Second Week of Spring Schoolship

Underway in light air and fog patches, May 15, 2009

The second week of spring Schoolship Programs has quickly passed by. We had school classes from Lewiston, Bellaire (2), Reuther (Rochester -2), Smith (Dearborn), Platte River, Johannesburg, and Northwest (Jackson). Manitou also had a busy week with classes from Lewiston, Traverse City East, Gaylord St. Mary's, Reuther (Rochester), Traverse City Career Tech Center AgriScience, Smith (Dearborn), Central Lake, Lakeland, and Traverse City Central Grade School.

Aboard Inland Seas our trawl catches consisted of rock bass, round goby, native crayfish, a frog (first ever!), brook stickleback and a rainbow smelt. Trawl catches have been light despite seeing many fish in the water column on the sounder.

The surface water temperature averaged 43 degrees F this week, with bottom water 0 - 1 degree colder. The average secchi disk reading was 18 meters, with a range of 14 m to 20 m, although the disk was often visible sitting on the lake bottom, so these values are conservative.

The zooplankton community consists mainly of calanoid and cyclopoid copepods, many with egg sacs and lots of red lipid visible in their bodies.

Bringing the trawl aboard, 5-15-09 pm.

Bloody Red Shirmp found in Grand Traverse Bay

MDNR researchers have found the invasive shirmp Hemimysis anomala in East Bay near Elk Rapids. Christine Crissman obained a sample for us to observe and photograph. Stop in the Center to see these under the microscope. We will be looking for these near our dock in Suttons Bay also. They stay close to the rocks so we would not likely get them in our plankton net at our sampling stations. For more information on Hemimysis go to http://www.schoolship.org/stewardship/?id=325 and click on the Hemimysis Fact Sheet.

Speaking of invasive species, Christine gave a great presentation on the effects of invasives in Grand Traverse Bay this past Tuesday. If you missed the seminar you can still see the slides at

http://www.schoolship.org/news_events/?id=759 - click on "presentation".

See you at the the Dance Party Benefit for the TC Water Festival this Saturday evening (8pm) at Serenity Tea Room.

-TK